Your Highness brings old fashioned sword & sorcery filmmaking back into theaters this week, so we thought we would look back at some of the classic fantasy films that might have inspired Danny McBride and David Gordon Green.

Courtney Solomon’s Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most abject motion pictures ever made; a true endurance test for any viewer, the movie keeps piling on travesty after travesty, and that’s just the scenes with Marlon Wayans.

But Dungeons & Dragons wasn’t the original Dungeons & Dragons movie. Way back in 1980 there was a script that was being written for the official tie-in film to the role playing game, and it was called Dragons of Krull. There are no dragons in Dragons of Krull, just as there are no dragons in the actual Krull film - which is actually pretty close to this script.

At some point in the production of the movie, the producers lost the license toDungeons & Dragons. I’ve not been able to penetrate to the heart of why - I know that at the time Gary Gygax had been tasked to head to California and head up Dungeons & Dragons Entertainment, where he was in charge of film and television tie-ins. That was when he spearheaded the popular D&D cartoon, and I’m assuming when Dragons of Krull was gestating.

I know that at the time TSR, Inc, the company that owned Dungeons & Dragons, was going through some fiscal problems and personnel upheavals; these would culminate in Gygax leaving the company - and the game he created - a few years later. Maybe those issues made TSR pull out. Or maybe they realized that Krull was going to end up a well-meaning but incredibly boring film.

There are some who say that you can still see the Dungeons & Dragons in Krull, especially in the way the film hinges on a series of encounters during Prince Colwyn’s journey, but I’m not sure that’s special to the D&D game. Even the Dragons of Krullscript, written when the movie was a D&D tie-in, feels like a D&D movie only in as much that it’s fantasy. There don’t even seem to be any references to elements of Greyhawk, the campaign world in which early D&D was set - Dragons of Krull is completely its own universe.

Llormordia was a technologically advanced planet. Until, that is, the fateful day that he took over.

The one known as Mordonas was interested in melding tech with magic. He managed to cast the spells which turned him into a shape-shifter. Then he began slowly playing the leaders of the major countries against each other. He finally managed to get control of one of the countries, posing as the ruler, whom he had killed. Then he managed to take control of another. And so on. Until he had control of all of the major nations. Then he slowly made alliances between nations, and consolidated his power. And then finally, the peace treaty was signed. All of Llomordia was under his rule.

Now he was ready to conquer the galaxy. But first, he needed an army. The Llormordians were not, for all of their bluster, fighters. They could do well against each other, but not against other races. He looked to the planet of Klarxan. The Klarxanians were known to be fierce warriors. They were also known for following orders as mindlessly as necessary. But they were strange-looking creatures, appearing as a brain and a spinal column. However, they had developed a sort of armor that would make them bipedal. Magical armor.

And he also needed better reconnaissance. Magical reconnaissance. There was a race known as the Teleopes. They were known for their farsightedness and their ability to see far away. He needed their eyes, at least one of their eyes...

Mordonas also needed a new name. He had used magic not only to increase his political power, but also to make himself bigger and stronger than the other Llormordians. But whereas the Llormordians were mostly handsome creatures, his magic had scarred him, leaving him an ugly monster. A gruesome, terrifying beast. Hmm.. a beast.

He would simply be... The Beast.---

The Klarxan listened with interest.

Their magic enabled them to take bipedal form, and to transport themselves to other worlds as raiding parties, to take what they needed from the poor inhabitants. But they lacked advanced technology. They lacked good projectile weapons. They did all of their fighting with axes and swords. Spears were sometimes used, and they had just developed a rudimentary bow and arrow.

But the stranger was offering them a new weapon. A neon spear [A/N in the Atari 2600 game based on the movie, their weapons were referred to as neon spears]. Rumor had it that his planet had been ravaged recently by war, and that its people were now slaves under a primitive system of torture. All technology was under his control and to be used to increase his personal power. But he was willing to share, in return for obedience. What did they care? They never valued freedom anyway. Only the leaders had that, and they were constantly trading it or losing it to more powerful leaders in a never-ending cycle of violence. Now they would have all of the food, the power, the gold they wanted. And they would have the means to attack other worlds and to totally subjugate them. To rape the worlds of their resources, not just to take what they could. Yes, they would submit.

"We will do it," said the leader. "But first, your name?" "I am the Beast," replied the stranger. He looked human, and he was handsome, but rumor had it that this was not his true appearance. He could take any form he pleased. there was one thing about him, though - he had blood red eyes, eyes that were not like those of any other human, eyes that, the leader of the Iofran clan supposed were not natural to the appearance he was assuming. They were the only part of him not shape-shifted, perhaps due to his lack of ability, or just maybe his way of letting the Klarxans know of his true identity of power, that he was a wily monster far more deadly than his appearance would otherwise suggest. "And we," replied the leader, "will be your Slayers." And several more leaders did the same, and those who did not were killed, and the planet of Klarxa fell to the control of the Beast.

---The Teleopes' [A/N Teleops singular, Teleopes plural] Prime Minister listened with interest. His people were known far and wide for their great vision. They could see almost anywhere on their own planet, and could also look far away to other planets, with their remarkable clairvoyance. But the one thing that they could not see, that many had always longed to see, was the future. Oh, they would have such power to do good! The Teleopes were a proud people who wished to bring peace and justice to the galaxy. They felt it their duty to correct other societies and to make them better. The chief Teleops was no exception. As the Prime Minister of the people, he felt the responsibility to make certain that they all did their best to improve the world. If they could see the future, then they could predict events and respond to them. Perhaps they could or perhaps they could not change the future they foresaw, but they could work to make the things better that they could foresee. And if the future was set in stone anyway, what difference would it make if they could see their destiny or not? The Beast, as he called himself, had offered them a deal. If he could use his magic to remove an eye from all of the Teleopes, he would give them the ability to see the future. He had discovered the ability himself, but deciding that it was too powerful for him to trust himself with, offered to give it to the Teleopes in return for their eyes. The Teleops could tell that he would give them the power, as they could to some extent gauge the truthfulness of those they contacted. The Prime Minister jumped at the chance. Soon he and three other representatives of the Teleopean people were at a ceremony where the Beast would do the deed. Four of the Beast's warriors were there. Each one put a special salve on one Teleops' right eye. Then they thrust their weapons into the eyes. Back in Llormordia, a large eye appeared in the hand of the Beast. All over the Teleopes' planet, people's faces twisted in pain as their right eyes disappeared and their left eyes migrated to their foreheads. The Beast put the Eye in his device, the one that would soon make his fortress, so that he and his armies would not need to travel in small, vulnerable spacecraft. Immediately he felt a surge of power, and discovered that he could see all over the planet of Llormordia. He could also see a great deal for other worlds, although the farther away they were, the less he could make out. Back in the Teleopes' planet, every Teleops was having a vision. One that in the future they would all have every birthday. A vision of their own demise. The date and time they knew instinctively, and the circumstances played themselves out before their own eyes. One thing was promised them - if they resisted their fate, they might succeed, but their new fate would be even worse, and the day of their death could not change.

So the Beast had told the truth - but not the whole truth, and so they were deceived. Their powers did not encompass uncovering half-truths. And their new powers could not be taken away by any means they knew of. Now they knew why the Beast had not taken this power upon himself. It was truly a frightful power. The four representatives, in their rage at being cheated, attacked the Slayers and tore them apart with their bare hands. From that day on, every Teleops would vow to kill every Slayer they could find until one race or the other were gone. And they changed the name of their race. They changed it to that of a mythical creature they had heard of, one with only one eye. They were no longer Teleopes. They were Cyclopes. --- His people were known far and wide for their great vision. They could see almost anywhere on their own planet, and could also look far away to other planets, with their remarkable clairvoyance. But the one thing that they could not see, that many had always longed to see, was the future. Oh, they would have such power to do good! The Teleopes were a proud people who wished to bring peace and justice to the galaxy. They felt it their duty to correct other societies and to make them better. The chief Teleops was no exception. As the Prime Minister of the people, he felt the responsibility to make certain that they all did their best to improve the world. If they could see the future, then they could predict events and respond to them. Perhaps they could or perhaps they could not change the future they foresaw, but they could work to make the things better that they could foresee. And if the future was set in stone anyway, what difference would it make if they could see their destiny or not? The Beast, as he called himself, had offered them a deal. If he could use his magic to remove an eye from all of the Teleopes, he would give them the ability to see the future. He had discovered the ability himself, but deciding that it was too powerful for him to trust himself with, offered to give it to the Teleopes in return for their eyes. The Teleops could tell that he would give them the power, as they could to some extent gauge the truthfulness of those they contacted. The Prime Minister jumped at the chance. Soon he and three other representatives of the Teleopean people were at a ceremony where the Beast would do the deed. Four of the Beast's warriors were there. Each one put a special salve on one Teleops' right eye. Then they thrust their weapons into the eyes. Back in Llormordia, a large eye appeared in the hand of the Beast. All over the Teleopes' planet, people's faces twisted in pain as their right eyes disappeared and their left eyes migrated to their foreheads. The Beast put the Eye in his device, the one that would soon make his fortress, so that he and his armies would not need to travel in small, vulnerable spacecraft. Immediately he felt a surge of power, and discovered that he could see all over the planet of Llormordia. He could also see a great deal for other worlds, although the farther away they were, the less he could make out. Back in the Teleopes' planet, every Teleops was having a vision. One that in the future they would all have every birthday. A vision of their own demise. The date and time they knew instinctively, and the circumstances played themselves out before their own eyes. One thing was promised them - if they resisted their fate, they might succeed, but their new fate would be even worse, and the day of their death could not change. So the Beast had told the truth - but not the whole truth, and so they were deceived. Their powers did not encompass uncovering half-truths. And their new powers could not be taken away by any means they knew of. Now they knew why the Beast had not taken this power upon himself. It was truly a frightful power. The four representatives, in their rage at being cheated, attacked the Slayers and tore them apart with their bare hands. From that day on, every Teleops would vow to kill every Slayer they could find until one race or the other were gone. And they changed the name of their race. They changed it to that of a mythical creature they had heard of, one with only one eye. They were no longer Teleopes. They were Cyclopes. ---It rose from the ground. A combination of magic and technology, it was finally complete. The Beast admired his handiwork. All of the time he spent building organic devices around the Cyclops' Eye. All the labor he had put his Klarxan laborers through. The time his sorcerors spent making the proper potions and incantations, and using the powers of ancient, mystical jewels, to let the rocky part of the fortress build itself from the ground. Now it was complete. The Black Fortress. It was solar-powered, as well as powered through the mystery of a star-gem. It had the power of teleportation while it was on a planet, but the power could only be used in the few seconds of sunrise. It was able to travel through space at speeds 10,000 times that of light. With it, the Beast could travel 27.4 light years in a day [A/N I am translating into Earth days and years here]. He now had all he needed to establish his space empire. All but one thing. He had heard of an ancient prophecy. He had not seen the vision himself, and refused to use his magic to see if it were true, even when he had the mortal foresight he had given the Teleopes (who are now the Cyclopes). But he would put an end to that. Oh, yes. --- Now it was complete. The Black Fortress. It was solar-powered, as well as powered through the mystery of a star-gem. It had the power of teleportation while it was on a planet, but the power could only be used in the few seconds of sunrise. It was able to travel through space at speeds 10,000 times that of light. With it, the Beast could travel 27.4 light years in a day [A/N I am translating into Earth days and years here]. He now had all he needed to establish his space empire. All but one thing. He had heard of an ancient prophecy. He had not seen the vision himself, and refused to use his magic to see if it were true, even when he had the mortal foresight he had given the Teleopes (who are now the Cyclopes). But he would put an end to that. Oh, yes. --- There was one planet that was the crux of the Beast's former plans. It had power beyond imagining, but it, like his home planet of Llormordia, had lost most of its technology in a series of wars. It was now a medieval world, run by feudal kings, quite unaware of the power they possessed. And the daughter of Eirig, unbeknownst to anyone on Krull, had the ability to unlock that power. The ability to reactivate the ancient transport systems that led to other worlds, and the ability to summon the old technology and the more powerful magic of Krull. She also had the power to destroy the Beast. Half of the power, anyway. There was one other, the son of Turold, who held the other half of that power. If the two were to meet, they together could wield the power that would turn the Beast into ashes. The Beast ought to just kill them both and be done with it. But he only wanted to kill the boy. The girl was the key to increasing the Beast's power enough to rule the galaxy. Kill her and he would be safe, but get her to join him and he would be emperor. So the Beast took his castle toward the planet of Krull. He prepared his army of Slayers. Soon, it would all be his ---Two years since they had escaped the Black Fortress and managed to free their world.

Colwyn and Lyssa were now the King and Queen of Proweirn and Graylock, the two largest kingdoms of Krull. So far, each allowed the other to operate for their own land, as the people were deeply suspicious of any alliance except for the military one. Trade was minimal, although a few merchants were brokering secret deals.

Lyssa was in the ninth month of pregnancy, a fact which should have reduced some of the burden of leadership, but she hated to delegate any of her duties to anyone else. She was more than willing to let her husband take full responsibility for Proweirn, but she felt that Graylock should be controlled by her, at least until the kingdoms merged enough so that they could share control and delegate their duties amongst themselves. She planned on taking care of domestic issues, such as courts, dealing with the various legislative and parliamentary bodies, etc., while Colwyn could worry about the military as well as getting the rest of Krull into their alliance so that they could build defenses in case any more problems came from the sky, as the Black Fortress had.

Ergo had managed to bring the Hill People into the alliance. Technically, they were part of Proweirn, Colwyn's, and before him, Turold's, old kingdom, but they had never much seen themselves as part of a larger region, rather thinking themselves to be independent, and thinking of the taxes they paid as something more akin to charity to those who were not fortunate enough to live in the rich green hills but who had to make do by substituting luxury for geography.

Ergo had come to accept that he would never have any power beyond that of a shapeshifter, and decided to hone it to a fine edge. He had taken on Titch as an apprentice, and was discovering exactly what abilities the boy had or could be trained to have. He had been offered to have a position in the cabinet, but decided that it would better to serve as the representative of the Hill People to the central Proweirnian government, or as the ambassador, which was the title he used when talking to the Hill People, again, playing on their belief that they were an independent country unto themselves.

As Lord Marshall, Torquil was revamping the army. Along with Ergo, he had made studies into some ancient texts that had suggested that there was more to Krull than met the eye. Namely, there appeared to have once been a thriving technological society that had mastered the secret of travel to other worlds. It was known that the Cyclopes had the ability to move from world to world, but they were hard to find, and harder to make talk.

One day, in the middle of a meeting with a council form one town, Lyssa suddenly jerked forward in pain.

"What is it, m'lady?" asked the mayor of the town.

"I'm not certain, but I think I am in labor," she groaned.

And so that night she gave birth to Prince Collys. She did not know how many more children she might have, or if he were the son referred to in the prophecy, who would rule the galaxy. But, she reasoned, no reason to hurry. Prophecy would see to itself.---Author GLAIVESTER+++---

DISCLAIMER: Krull and all associated characters, places, names, and likenesses are copyright 1983, 2006 Columbia Pictures Corporation. This is a work of unlicensed fan fiction and is not supported in any way by Columbia Pictures Corporation or any of its associated entities.

Original characters, places, story and text are copyright 2006 the author. This story may not be reproduced in any way without express permission of the author.

This story is for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real events or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.